The claim:
A video ad being run by U.S. Senator Doug Jones’ (D-AL) reelection campaign asserts that Republican U.S. senatorial nominee Tommy Tuberville “wants to eliminate the Affordable Care Act and end the protections for pre-existing medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes.”
In making that claim, the ad cites Tuberville’s official campaign website.
The facts:
Tuberville’s campaign website, cited in Jones’ ad, states unequivocally regarding the Affordable Care Act, “Obamacare must go. This failed experiment has led to higher costs, less quality care, and a system that hurts patients and doctors more than it helps.”
The next line then explains that Tuberville supports protections for pre-existing medical conditions.
“I believe that we need a return to the free-market where companies compete for your business, while ensuring that pre-existing conditions are not a deterrent to obtaining quality insurance and care,” the website continues.
Per previous reporting by The Montgomery Advertiser, that very same Tuberville statement on pre-existing conditions has been on the website since at least February, leaving no excuse for Jones’ campaign to be confused about the Republican’s stance on the matter.
The rating:
Jones’ claim that Tuberville wants to end “protections for pre-existing medical conditions” is completely false. We rate the claim as “pants on fire.”
More on the subject:
This is not the first time that Jones’ campaign has been caught spouting total falsehoods this election cycle in TV ads, especially when it comes to healthcare.
Politifact, a left-leaning national fact checker, called Jones out in August for claiming Tuberville said he wants to cut Medicare.
“[Tuberville] told voters at a campaign stop in February that he opposed cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid,” Politifact affirmed.
The Montgomery Advertiser in February reported, “In a recent interview, Tuberville said he would oppose cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.”
Additionally, Jones’ claim regarding pre-existing conditions brings up an awkward truth for Alabama’s junior senator.
Just last month, Jones voted to block consideration of a Senate Republican bill that would have protected pre-existing conditions, even if the Affordable Care Act is repealed or overturned.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
